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FIGHT COMING OVER YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: “The yellow-billed cuckoo is known for its distinctive call — a drawn-out knocking sound — but the sound lawmakers will likely hear more of when they return to Capitol Hill in a few weeks will be the noise made by angry ranchers,” reports Pro Agriculture’s Bill Tomson.

“The Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a proposal to designate more than a half-million acres of land in nine western states as critical habitat for the small bird, pitting environmentalists against ranchers, farmers, lawmakers, miners and big oil. This just weeks after the House of Representatives passed legislation to try to reign in the FWS’ use of the Endangered Species Act. Pro subscribers can find the rest of Tomson’s story here: http://politico.pro/1rd0Iu9

HAPPY FRIDAY! Welcome to Morning Ag, where we begin with some Robin Williams folklore: The celebrated actor and comedian briefly attended your host’s alma mater (Claremont McKenna College, then Claremont Men’s College) and legend has it that he hijacked and crashed a golf cart into the dining hall before being expelled and then heading to Juilliard. It’s unclear if the story is true, but that’s almost beside the point: Robin Williams was and always will be a legend. Send me your thoughts, news and tips: hbottemiller@politico.com or @hbottemiller. Follow us @Morning_Ag

LEAKED TEXT FORETELLS U.S.-EU TRADE TALKS: “The purported text of a nearly final trade agreement between the European Union and Canada could foreshadow how the deal might influence investment-related lawsuits, agricultural trade demands and other controversial issues being hashed out in separate negotiations between the EU and U.S.,” Pro Trade’s Adam Behsudi reports.

“The 521 pages of text leaked by the German television news show Tagesschau is only a portion of the almost 1,500-page final agreement. But experts say the Aug. 5 document provides a comprehensive view of what Canada and the EU will ultimately agree upon. The two sides reached a ‘deal in principle’ last October but still had major differences on issues like investment rules.

“‘It is clear they are still negotiating, but they’ve been legally scrubbing this for a year and a half, and I’d be surprised if there is any skin left,’ said Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, director of the European Center for International Political Economy, a Brussels-based think tank.” Pros can find the rest of Behsudi’s article here: http://politico.pro/1pQd5IU

COCA COLA BUYS BIG STAKE IN MONSTER: In a more than $2 billion power play for energy drinks, Coca Cola purchased a 16.7 percent stake in Monster Thursday. The deal means the two companies will swap ownership of several products: Monster will nab Coca Cola’s energy drinks, including NOS, Full Throttle, Burn, Mother, Play and Power Play, and Relentless; Coca Cola will get Hansen’s Natural Sodas, Peace Tea, Hubert’s Lemonade and Hansen’s Juice Products.

The move “will deliver sustainable value to The Coca-Cola Company’s global system and accelerate Monster’s opportunity to grow internationally,” Coca Cola said in its announcement, which can be found here: http://bit.ly/1vOnxGz . Of course, in the U.S. energy drinks remain an area of concern for lawmakers and FDA. The agency has said it’s exploring the issue and the Center for Science and the Public Interest in June called for warning labels: http://politico.pro/1pQpTyR

POLL: MOST AMERICANS OPPOSE SUGAR TAX: Only 20 percent of Americans are in favor of levying a tax on sugar to help fund diabetes and obesity programs, according to a new Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 adults.

The survey, which also included questions about the role of government and taxation, indirectly referred to Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s proposal to tax sugar-sweetened beverages by asking respondents: “A proposal now before Congress would add a one-cent-per-teaspoon tax on sugar to discourage sugar use and help fund programs to fight obesity and diabetes. Do you favor or oppose a sugar tax like this?” More on the survey can be found here: http://bit.ly/1t0osQx

MCDONALD’S TO BOOST FRUITS & VEGGIES IN HAPPY MEALS: McDonald’s is looking to up its fruit and vegetable offerings in Happy Meals, USA Today reports: “Cuties clementines from Sun Pacific will be added as a seasonal fruit option this fall; ‘junior’ bananas are being tested and even blueberries are under consideration as a future option, reveals Greg Watson, senior vice president of menu innovation, in an interview….’This is consistent with what we've said we'd do,’ said Watson. ‘This is part of the journey we started four years ago to make Mom feel better about Happy Meals.’” Find the story here: http://cnb.cx/1rvKSpZ

LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR STRICTER WORKER PROTECTION STANDARDS: A group of lawmakers is preparing a letter to EPA calling for revisions to the agency’s proposed Worker Protection Standards, arguing that the rule doesn’t go far enough in protecting workers and children from pesticide exposure. In the letter, the lawmakers, led by Reps. Raul Grijalva, Linda Sanchez and Cloris Negrete McLeod, argue that while the proposed standards released in March are an improvement over current protections for agricultural workers, they fall short of measures required for other workers under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, fail to include anti-retaliation provisions and don’t provide adequate protection to children from exposure to pesticide drift, among other shortcomings.

Comments on the proposed rule are due Monday. If you’re submitting comments, help Pro Ag out and shoot a copy to jhopkinson@politico.com.

GMA URGES CAUTION IN LIGHT OF NEW SODIUM STUDIES: The Grocery Manufacturers Association on Thursday responded to new studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine by urging caution in advancing sodium reduction policies without more science.

“GMA members have been reformulating products for decades to provide lower sodium options to help consumers achieve healthy sodium intake levels,” said Leon Bruner, GMA’s Chief Science Officer, in a statement. “Our industry has reformulated thousands of products to reduce sodium content and meet consumer taste preferences. The industry has also developed a wide variety of reduced, low or no-added sodium products to help consumers follow recommendations of their health care professionals.”

“And while we are committed to continuing in our efforts to provide consumers with these lower sodium product options, we think that the articles such as those published today in the New England Journal of Medicine warrant serious consideration by some public health authorities,” Bruner continued. “In particular, the article by O’Donnell and colleagues further adds to the scientific evidence that low sodium consumption, at levels recommended by public health organizations, may actually increase cardiovascular risk. Therefore, it is vitally important that we undertake definitive studies to resolve the health impacts, both positive and adverse, of low sodium consumption to ensure public health interventions aimed at lowering sodium consumption provide benefit and do not cause harm.” Pros can read a rundown of the NEJM studies here: http://politico.pro/1rafVfw

FISHERIES GROUP HITS SOUTHERLAND IN NEW AD: Ocean Champions, an advocacy group, is airing an ad against Florida Republican Rep. Steve Southerland, saying the incumbent would “let Washington bureaucrats manage local fisheries.”

The ad will run in the Panama City media market for two weeks, and the buy is worth $35,000. The group also commissioned a poll that found Graham with a 45-43 lead. The poll was conducted by Pathfinder Opinion Research between Aug. 11 and 12 using live voter interviews. Voters were contacted on landlines and cell phones. Southerland’s campaign has said it “won't take their bait” in response to the group’s latest ad. Hat tip to Pro Campaign’s Tarini Parti. Watch the ad here: http://bit.ly/1l7UhWP

‘CHUCK NORRIS KNOCKS GMO CROPS COLD’: Not sure quite how this slipped past MA’s radar, but Chuck Norris — yes, Chuck Norris — recently weighed in on recent studies that found organic foods lack the chemical contaminants of their conventional counterparts and are more environmentally friendly to produce. The WND.com post, which is entitled “Chuck Norris Knocks GMO Crops Cold,” is available here: http://bit.ly/1rx7J4p And this isn’t the first time the action star has weighed in on the issue. His other GMO-related can be found posts here: http://bit.ly/1uymUiS.

And this is, we assume, how Norris would go about knocking GMOs (or really anything) cold: http://bit.ly/1rx8uKK

CORRECTION: Wednesday’s MA incorrectly identified Torrey Westrom’s status in the Minnesota State Senate. Westrom, who is challenging Rep. Collin Peterson for the 7th District U.S. Congress seat in November’s election, currently serves as the state senator for the 12th District. Our apologies for the error.

-- Florida peanut growers are worried that farm bill provisions encouraging the switch from cotton to peanut production will flood the market and lower prices, the Gainsville (Florida) Sun reports: http://bit.ly/1sZOW4M